Eritrea renews its support to Sudanese stance against the ICC
March 2, 2009 (ASMARA) –The Eritrean President reiterated today its rejection to the indictment of the Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) saying such move does not targets only the Sudan but the whole region.
President Isaias Afwerki made this statement today during a meeting with a Sudanese delegation led by the Presidential Assistant, Nafi Ali Nafi, who was in a one day visit to Asmara.
The ICC judges are expected to issue a decision next Wednesday on a request for an arrest warrant against President Al-Bashir who is accused of genocide, crimes againt humanity and war crimes.
Afwerki assured the delegation of his support to the President Sudanese considering the ICC accusations against Al-Bashir “not only target the Sudanese leader and the Sudan itself but also the entire countries of the region, said Yemane Gebreab, a close presidential aide in press statements at the end of the meeting.
Gerbreb further said that Eritrea would support the Sudanese government and would stand alongside the Sudanese people.”
The Sudanese Presidential Assistant hailed the firm Eritrean stance and its strong opposition to the ICC. Nafi who is also the top negotiator in the peace talks with Darfur rebels, said he briefed the Eritrean president on the goodwill peace agreement signed last month in Doha with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement.
“We also asked Eritrea to support the Doha process,” Nafi added.
Eritrea which was a former foe to Khartoum has turned close ally to Khartoum since 2005 following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the SPLM. Asmara sponsored a peace deal in October 2007 between the eastern Sudan rebels and the central government.
The visiting Sudanese delegation further held with the Eritrean officials to discuss ways to boost the bilateral relations.
The first official meeting of the Joint Eritrean-Sudanese Committee reached an understanding to launch a development and economic cooperation between the two countries as well as undertaking joint strategic programmes.
A meeting of the Ethiopian Sudanese Higher Committee will be held in Addis Ababa on March 10. The meeting will be co-chaired by the President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir and the Prime Minister Meles Zinawi.
By the end of February a SPLM delegation visited Eritrea for talks with the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) which is the only legal political party in Eritrea.
The two sides in a meeting held today in Asmara agreed that accords of joint cooperation between the PFJD and the SPLM didn’t make significant progress and pledged to redouble efforts to develop the historical and strategic relations between them.
(ST)